Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
16728
UMBREILA SUPPORT_CONSTRUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an umbrella
support construction and more particularly to an umbrella
support construction which provides a stable support for
heavy umbrellas such as garden umbrellas.
It is known in the art to provide an umbrella
support construction which includes a weighted base filled
with water, sand or the like. It is further known in the
art to provide a central insert for the base which
includes means capable of securing the insert to the
umbrella poleO
In providing a support construction for heavy
umbrellas, such as garden umbrellas, it is desirable to
insure that in a heavy uplift, the wind will not be able
to lift either the umbrella or any part of the support
construction such as the insert, out of the base.
It is further desirable when providing an
umbrella support construction for heavy umbrellas to
make the construction as easily portable as possible~
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Additionally, in umbrella support constructions
which include a water~filled base, it is desirable to
construct the base so that damage is prevented if the
water retained within the base freezes and expands.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present
invention to provide an umbrella support construction
which is secure in all weather conditions and which
prevents both the umbrella held therein and any part of
the construction itself from being pulled out of the base
of the construction in a heavy uplift.
Another object of the present invention is to
provide such an umbrella support construction which is
easily portable.
Yet a further object of the present invention
is the provision of such an umbrella support construction
which permits the water retained therein to expand upon
freezing without damaging the base.
An additional object of the present invention
is the provision of such an umbrella support construction
which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In one embodiment of the invention, an umbrella
support construction is provided which includes a base
member to provide a stable support for an umbrella. A
through bore is formed in the base member. The through
bore has both a bottom and a top opening. The construction
includes an insert which is sized and shaped to be
received in the through bore. The insert is ormed with
an opening therein for receiving the pole of an umbrella.
, The support construction includes pole retaining means
on the insert for retaining the umbrella pole in the
insert and complimentary formed stop means on the insert
and the base member for preventing removal of the insert
through the top opening of the through bore.
When an umbrella is received in the umbrella
support construction of the present invention, neither
the umbrella nor the insert can be pulled upwardly in a
heavy uplift. This avoids inadvertent damage to people
and property.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1. is an exploded elevational view of the
umbrella support construction of the present invention,
showing the insert separate from the base member;
FIG. 2. is a partial vertical sectional view
o the umbrella support construction of the present
invention showing the insert positioned within the
through bore;
FIG. 3. is a top plan view of the insert portion
of the invention;
FIG. 4. is a sectional view taken generally
along line 4--4 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5. is a sectional view taken generally
along line 5--5 of FIG. 2; and
FIG. 6. is a sectional view taken generally
along line 6--6 of FIG. 2.
DESCRIPTION OF THE_PREEERRED EMBODIMENT
Reference numeral 10 in FIG. 1 denotes an umbrella
support construction made in accordance with the present
invention. The umbrella support includes a base member 12.
A through bore 14 is formed in base member 12. Through
bore 14 has a bottom opening 16 and a top opening 18. An
insert 20 is provided. Insert 20 is sized and shaped to
be received in through bore 14. The base member 12 is hollow
and is capable of retaining a weighting substance such as
water, sand or the like. To facilitate the introduction of
the weighting substance into the base member 12, the base
member can be provided with a reclosable opening (not shown)
preferrably on the -top surface thereof.
As shown best in FIG. 1, through bore 14, in a
preferred embodiment, is centrally located and the walls
thereof taper upwardly and inwardly. The bottom opening 16
of the through bore is lar~er than its top opening 18.
Insert 20 is formed with a passage 19 having a
central opening 21 through which the pole of an umbrella
is received. The wall of the insert is provided with a taper
complimentary to the taper of the wall defining the bore
14 (i.e., the wall of insert 20 tapers upwardly and inwardly).
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Accordingly, the insert can only be inserted through bottom
opening 16 and, in view of the taper, cannot be pulled
upwardly through the top opening 18. In fact, an upward
force on the insert will only force th.e insert in closer
and tighter engagement with the wall of bore 14.
As best seen in FIGs. 4, 5, and 6, insert 20 is
formed with circumferentially spaced, radial extending,
projections or tabs 28 adjacent the bottom 26 thereof. The
walls of bore 14, adjacent the opening 16 is provided with
complimentary formed circumferentially spaced recesses 30,
the openings of which extend to the bottom surface of base
member 12. Recesses 30 are sized and shaped to removably
receive radial projections 28. Projections 28 together
with recesses 30 hold the insert in position within the
through bore and prevent the insert from undesired rotation
as well as from upward movement.
The outer wall 22 of insert 20 is formed with an
annular shoulder 32 thereon. Annular shoulder 32 mates
with an internal seat 34 in through bore 14. The flexibility
of the insert and base member, which may be fabricated
from high impact plasticor the like, permit the enlarged
diameter shoulder 32 to move past the smaller diameter seat
34 when the insert is inserted into the bore 14, as sho~n by
the dashed line position in FI&. 2. The shoulder seats on the
seat 34 to locate the insert in Proper position.
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In the preferred embodiment, an annular boss 35 is
formed on the upper end 36 of insert 20. Diametrically
opposed through holes (not shown) are provided in the annular
boss which is shaped to re~eive Tinnerman clips 40 in align-
ment therewith for clamping screws 38. The screws 38 when
threaded in the Tinnerman clips, can be tightened so as
to bear against an umbrella pole positioned in insert 20 9
and thereby clamp the umbrella pole within the insert.
Insert 20 includes a plurality of circumferentially
spaced, upwardly tapered and inwardly protruding ribs 41.
Ribs 41 guide the umbrella pole into insert 20 and centrally
locate the same. Subsequent to the insertion, the ribs
41 help to securely maintain the umbrella within the insert.
Spaced apart recesses 42 are formed in the bottom
surface of base member 20 to provide hand-holds which permit
easy transport of the umbrella support construction. A
series of annular steps 44 are also provided which permit
expansion due to formation of ice and thus avoid damage
to the base if the fluid retained therein freezes.
2~ In use, the top 24 of insert 20 is inserted into
the bottom opening 16 of through bore 14 with projections
28 in alignment with recesses 30. Insert 20 is then
pressed upwardly into through bore 14 until the annular
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shoulder 32 engages seat 34 to thus effect a
positîve lock which prevents insert 20 from falling
through bottom opening 16. Due to the shapes of both the
through bore 14 and the insert 20, withdrawal of insert
20 through top opening 18 o~ the through bore is impossible.
The engagement of projections 28 in recesses 30 prevent
rotation o~ insert 20. Thus, even in a heavy wind7 neither
the insert nor the umbrella retained therein can be rotated
or pulled upwardly and out of the base member. This avoids
accident to person and property.
The aforedescribed construction is usable in a
method of securely holding heavy umbrellas such as garden
umbrellas. Insert 20 is pressed into base 12, as hereto-
fore described. A weighting substance such as water is also
introduced into base member 12. The pole of an umbrella is
inserted into insert 20 and the screws 38 are tightened so
as to bear against the umbrella pole and hold it in place.
The umbrella and all portions of the construction are then
secure during all weather conditions.
While the invention has been illustrated and
described as embodied in an umbrella support construction
which is secure in all weather conditions, it is not
intended to be limited to the details shown, since various
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modifications and structual changes may be made without
departing in anyway from the spirit of the invention.
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